The artwork titled “Rose Head,” created by Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1978, is a notable example from the Neo-Expressionism movement and can be classified within the genre of sketches and studies. This piece exemplifies the spontaneous and raw characteristics often associated with Basquiat’s oeuvre and the broader Neo-Expressionist approach that sought to convey subjective emotions and experiences.
The artwork presents a frontal portrait of a face executed with a series of fluid, seemingly impromptu lines. Dominating the figure’s head is a stylized rose, replacing where one would expect to see hair or a crown. The features of the face are depicted in a manner that appears almost fragmented or in a state of metamorphosis, lending the work an unfinished yet dynamic quality. The lines are loose and give the impression of rapid creation, with various circular shapes surrounding the central figure’s features, contributing to the overall complexity of the composition. Below the face, there seems to be a depiction of leaves or feathers that further adds to the organic motif of the piece. The grid background, suggestive of lined notebook paper, contrasts with the freeform drawing and adds a layer of casual immediacy, as if the artist had captured a moment of inspiration on an ordinary piece of paper. Basquiat’s distinctive signature anchors the work in the bottom right corner, providing authentication and a personal touch to the sketch.
